AAP to host fund-raiser lunch in Lucknow

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will organise a fund-raiser lunch with traders, government employees and the common people here Dec 27. The event will offer an 'AAP thali' for Rs.11,000 to raise funds for Delhi polls, an organiser said.

Former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was supposed to take part, but he would now be represented by his close aide Manish Sisodia, who will be accompanied by senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh.

Accusing the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being funded by the corporate world, the AAP said it was collecting money for its Delhi poll campaign through such dinners.

"We do not have the plush funding of corporates and neither do we want it. So, the party has decided to reach out to the common man for raising funds," said Vaibhav Maheshwari, a member of the National Council of the party.

Confirming that Kejriwal will not be able to attend, Maheshwari told IANS that the national convener has sent a letter appealing more and more people to join the lunch event.

Members of the oranising committee of the fund-raiser lunch said the party has floated two helpline numbers for bookings.

The base price of the fund-raiser is Rs.11,000 and the funds can be deposited with the AAP through cheques, cash, bank drafts and even through online transfers.

AAP contested the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year with all its might, but lost in all constituencies from where it contested.

All its candidates lost their deposits and barring Kejriwal, who contested against then BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi, none of its candidates could garner votes.